


Bite Marks and Babies

by TheRoseKingofLegend (TheRoseKingOfLegend)



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: M/M, My First Fanfic, hope its good, set during the prison era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2015-12-13
Packaged: 2018-05-06 11:30:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5415170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRoseKingOfLegend/pseuds/TheRoseKingofLegend
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Daryl and Glenn and Rick go on a run and very bad events ensue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bite Marks and Babies

“ Well, this was an absolute waste of my time.” Daryl snarled as they all headed back to the car. Rick chuckled and Glenn huffed. They were all tired and exasperated. The run had seemed promising, there was an untouched town just begging to be ransacked. But of course, it was a total bust. The shops were all bare, down to the shelves. The houses were even more useless, because they didn’t look like anyone had ever lived in them. 

“ There’s another town not too far, we can make it there and back before it gets too dark.” Rick suggested. They were getting desperate. Lil’ Asskicker was running out of food, not to mention the rest of them. 

“ Nah, it’s too late. We need to head back.” Daryl countered. He slung his crossbow over his shoulder. He opened the door to the car and sat down. Glenn didn’t say anything. The kid looked exhausted. They’d been doing runs near every day, and Glenn always volunteered. Maggie sure as hell hated it, but Glenn was a strong willed guy. 

“ I think we can make it. Come on, Judy needs more formula. She has maybe two days worth left.” Rick protested Daryl’s protest. Daryl stared out at him, chewing on his lip. Rick looked almost as tired as Glenn. 

“ We’ll be fine, Daryl. Let’s just go.” Glenn finally spoke up. Rick let a smile play over his lips for a split second before his usual stoic mask fell back into place. He got into the driver’s seat and pulled away from the hardware store. 

None of them spoke on the drive to this other town. Glenn was the navigator, so he had pointed it out on a map for Rick, but other than that he was silent. Daryl watched the landscape fly past, all a blurry shade of green and blue. 

The town was relatively quiet. Daryl had his guard up, as well as his crossbow. They moved quickly, trotting through a maze of abandoned cars and people. The few walkers that they encountered were lethargic, probably from being starved. They took care of them quickly and easily. Rick led the trio over to a department store. 

“ We need blankets, candles, and food. Spread out, but stay within shouting distance.” Rick demanded. Daryl didn’t respond, he just veered off to the left. The store was totally empty of walkers. Daryl found the home goods section and filled his backpack with blankets and candles. He also made his way over to the toys and picked out a little stuffed giraffe for Judith. He wandered his way back over to where Rick was. He slowed his pace when he saw the man. 

Rick was crying. He was leaned against a pillar with his head hung down against his chest. Daryl didn’t say anything, he thought Rick wouldn’t want him to see this. He was about to back away when Rick looked up and caught his gaze. He quickly wiped away the tears on his sleeve and straightened his shirt. 

“ Sorry man, I’ll leave, go find Glenn.” Daryl looked away from his friend’s face, unsure of the etiquette in this situation. 

“ It’s fine. I’m a human too, you know.” Rick’s voice was rough. Daryl didn’t say anything, just shifted his body weight, getting ready to walk away.  
“ I just have these horrible dreams and thoughts sometimes. What if it was a mistake to bring Judy into this world? What if she doesn’t live long enough to become someone? What if she does?” Rick cut himself off with a pathetic sob. Daryl chewed his lip, a new habit it seemed, and contemplated the right form of action. 

“ Rick, I won’t let anything happen to her.” Daryl spoke softly, almost whispering, but he knew Rick heard him. “ I won’t let anything happen to you, or Carl, or Carol, or Glenn or Maggie or Beth. You’re my family now.” 

Rick let out another sob, and then strode forward the ten steps to pull Daryl into a hard embrace. They stayed like that for a while, Rick holding Daryl and Daryl letting him. When they broke apart, Rick wiped his face off again. 

“ You’re like the brother I never had.” 

“ You have a brother.” Rick pointed out. 

“ Okay, then the brother that I always wanted. Merle’s a dick.” This made Rick laugh, which in turn made Daryl smile. Glenn appeared then, looking cautious and worried. 

“ I didn’t find anything.” He held his shotgun pointed at the floor, almost letting it drag. Rick nodded, affirming the same. 

“ I did. Blankets and candles. There’s a grocery store across the road.” Daryl motioned with his head in the general direction. They all steeled themselves to go back out into the world. 

They found everything that they were looking for and more in the grocery store. Rick grabbed all of the baby formula he could carry in one basket. Daryl loaded his own basket with batteries and other hardware. Glenn met up with them toting two baskets full of canned goods and bags of rice and spaghetti. The short trip back to the ugly green hatchback was met with no resistance. 

The drive back was a long one, at least three hours. Daryl settled in the passenger seat and Glenn lay down in the back. After a couple hours, Glenn sat up. 

“ Can we stop?” He asked Rick. Rick nodded and pulled over to the side of the road. 

“ Yeah, I needa pee.” Daryl said. He got out and walked a little ways away. He finished his deed and wiped his hands on his pants before turning back to the car. Glenn had disappeared into the brush, but Rick was still sitting in the driver’s seat. Daryl walked over and leaned next to the door. He didn’t speak, he just watched the woods. Rick eventually spoke up. 

“ Thank you. I know how hard you work to keep everyone safe.” 

“ It’s no deal, man.” Daryl shifted slightly so that he was closer to the open door. He let his hand fall down, close to Rick. Rick took it immediately, chuckling quietly. 

A scream resonated through the forest. Both men sprang to action, sprinting toward the noise. They didn’t have to go far to find the source. Glenn was on the ground, trying with all his might to fight off two walkers. Three or four more were approaching from the depths of the woods. Daryl took out two of them with his crossbow and then yanked his knife out of its sheath. He noticed that Glenn had stopped struggling. That was a bad sign, very bad. He ran over and shoved his blade into two skulls. 

His worst fear came to fruition. Glenn lay on the ground, glassy eyed and motionless. His mouth hung open in a scream. Rick rushed over, nearly falling over the dead walkers. He let out a broken cry at the sight of Glenn. Daryl kneeled down and pushed his knife into Glenn’s ear, effectively ending his whole existence. 

“ Oh Jesus, Glenn.” Rick sat back on his heels, sobs wracking through his body. Daryl closed Glenn’s eyes and lifted him. Rick looked at him, confused. 

“ We have to bury him, at home. Let Maggie see him.” Daryl explained. Rick nodded and stood as well. 

Daryl was shocked still. There was a fairly large patch of blood on Rick’s shirt that hadn’t been there before. Rick didn’t seem to notice him staring. He just walked back to the car. Daryl hesitated, but followed him. 

Daryl drove back to the prison. He worried the entire time. Rick was bit, he was sure of it. He didn’t know how to handle the situation. He knew he was supposed to put Rick down, that was the pact, but this was Rick. The fearless leader, the brave soldier, the caring father, the man Daryl found himself falling head over heels for. 

Before they got out of the car, Rick put his hand on Daryl’s shoulder. Daryl looked at him. Their eyes met and he knew right then. He knew he was in love. 

“ I love you, Daryl.” Rick’s voice came out strained, but soft. Daryl nodded and chewed his lip again. Rick’s hand moved off of his shoulder to rest against his neck. He pulled Daryl close, and then pressed their mouths together. The kiss was short lived and too hard, but Daryl felt everything in that moment. When Rick pulled away, he didn’t look at Daryl’s face. He just got out of the car. Daryl followed him again, picking up Glenn’s lifeless body and walking back up to the entrance. 

Maggie and Carl came sprinting down to meet them. Maggie was already crying by the time she reached them. Daryl refused to let her see Glenn’s face. He kept a hand on her shoulder, keeping her at arm’s length.   
“ I’m so sorry.” Rick called. Daryl spun around. Rick was standing on the other side of the gate, a gun pressed to his temple. 

“ Dad?” Carl yelled. 

“ I’m so sorry. I wish we had more time. I wish I had more time, but I don’t. Daryl, please keep my family safe.” 

The gunshot rang out, sounding like a canon blast to Daryl’s ears. Everything seemed to go in slow motion. Rick’s head exploded, sending bits of gore everywhere. His body crumpled to the ground, going limp. Daryl’s breath left his body for long enough to make him feel like he was drowning. He saw in his peripheries the devastation Carl felt. He ran forward, but Maggie grabbed him, bringing them both to the ground. Beth began screaming from somewhere to his right. He felt weak. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground, catching himself on his hands. He rested on his knees, but brought his hands up to his face. He was shaking, hard, and he didn’t know how to stop. Carol rushed over and draped herself over Daryl. She was crying quite hard. 

An animalistic wail ripped itself free of Daryl’s throat. He fell forward, landing in an awkward position with his head on the ground and his legs still under him. He kept on wailing, not caring about the motherfucking walkers gathering close by. 

No one moved for a good ten minutes. Axel and Michonne eventually took care of Rick and Glenn’s bodies, carrying them down to the other grave sites. 

Daryl sat up and pushed Carol off of himself. He looked around and spotted Beth. She was on the ground with Judith cradled in her arms. Daryl made his way over to her, rubbing his face hard. He bent down and lifted the baby from the girl’s arms. He could feel everyone watching him. 

“ I made a promise to your daddy, Lil’ Asskicker, and I fully intend to keep that promise. Carl and you will always be safe.”


End file.
